* Tips to ace that job interview
This week, the final part of a two-part series in which James Del Monte, president of JDA Professional Services, a Houston-based IT staffing firm, and a certified personnel consultant shares with us his 10 tips to successful job interviews.
Last week, we learned that a behavioral interview is based on the idea that a candidate’s past performance is the best predictor of future job success and the most appropriate way to answer all questions is with a PAR story. James explains that a PAR story is one which includes a career-based Problem from your past, the Action you took to overcome that problem, and the quantifiable Results of your action. Here is the second part of his Q&A:
7. How can a PAR story help in answering the always dreaded “greatest weakness” question?
Anytime you are asked about a weakness or a failure there are several key points you must remember. First, NEVER share something that is a character flaw that cannot be changed, a core competency to the position for which you are applying, or a contradiction to one of your key strengths. In addition, you should NEVER badmouth employers, organizations, coworkers, or anyone else from you past even if you think they are to blame for your failure. Following this rule will always get you further in the long run. Finally, using a PAR story can help turn your weaknesses or failures into an example of a positive learning experience from your past. For example, you may use a PAR story to explain a PROBLEM from your past in which you failed to meet expectations, the ACTION you took to learn from your mistakes, and the RESULTS which were achieved from this lesson.
8. What is an example of using a PAR story in response to a question regarding your greatest weakness or failure?
Interviewer question: Tell me about a recent project that was unsuccessful.
Your answer: When I first started my last position, I was asked to complete a project with which I had no prior experience. Unfortunately, I underestimated the time it would take to complete the project, and while I did complete my assignment, I missed my deadline by a couple of days. The positive side of this story is that I learned a very powerful lesson early on in my career, and I have not made the same mistake since. The lesson I learned is that any time you encounter a project with which you have little or no experience, you should always seek advice from those with experience before making any assumptions in regard to the project such as completion time, skill requirements, manpower requirements, equipment needs, etc.
9. How can I prepare in advance for a behavioral interview?
Before each interview, consider the position for which you are applying and define the key points from your resume you wish to highlight, such as major accomplishments, years of experience, training and education, etc., in order to establish the value you will bring to the company and the specific position. In addition, make a list of the core competencies, such as detail-oriented, great leader, effective multi-tasker, etc., which make you a great fit for the job. You will want to prepare and practice at least four to six PAR stories for each key point and each core competency. If you are well prepared, your PAR stories can be easily adjusted to create the best responses to the interviewer’s questions. Remember: In an interview your goal, rather than to simply list your qualifications, is to illustrate your value and benefit to the company and ultimately earn yourself an offer for the position.
10. What is the best way to deal with an unskilled or unprepared interviewer?
In preparing your PAR stories you should have made a list of the key points and core competencies from your resume that you wish to convey in the interview. If you get into the interview and it seems as though the interviewer is not asking the right questions to help convey your worth or is not asking many questions at all, then perhaps you will want to take the initiative yourself. Ask the interviewer if you can share a few “pertinent examples” of how you would be beneficial to the company and the position. Another option is, at the end of the interview, to ask to provide a recap of what you feel the interviewer is looking for in a candidate and use several PAR stories to explain how you have exhibited those qualities in the past.
BONUS TIP: When interviewing you should not only work to highlight your assets to the company, but you should also remember to listen carefully to what the interviewer says about the company and the position. Try to be very observant of the environment, the other employees, and the overall culture of the organization.
In summation, before going to any interview, be sure to study your resume carefully, define your assets for a particular company and position, create and study a variety of PAR stories which highlight each of these assets, and be prepared to be observant of all verbal and nonverbal communication during your visit to the company. The ultimate goal of an interview is not only to convince a company that you are right for the job, but it is also your chance to decide if the company and the position are a good fit for you and your future career goals. Be as true to yourself as possible in making this decision, and you will be much happier in the long run.
Thanks James for these tips. If you have any tips you would like to add as a follow-up, please e-mail me. We are taking a break here for the Holidays and we’ll be back on Jan. 3. We wish you a joyful and safe holiday season. Thanks for reading!
** Editor’s Note: Network World has relaunched its Careers Research Center. At the site, you can not only search for IT positions, but also post and distribute your resume, and tap into a host of job and career-related resources including videos, blogs, salary reports, resume writing tips and search a database of continuing education courses. Check it out here.
